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FILM FESTIVAL: St. Croix conference expands PAGE 2
Governor’s water summit explores policy ideas
JACKIE BUSSJAEGER | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Lt. Governor Tina Smith moderates a panel of experts. RACHELLE WORKMAN | SUBMITTED
BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER
ST. PAUL — On Saturday, Feb. 27, Governor Mark Dayton invited environmental experts, state and local legislators and concerned citizens to participate in a summit about water quality, conservation and sustainability throughout the state. Dayton addressed a crowd of hundreds at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront before attendees split into focus groups to discuss issues surrounding sustainability, preserving iconic waterways, problems in the wastewater infrastructure and more. “What we really need is to establish an ethic of clean water practices,” Dayton said. “I urge you, and I ask you, to spend today establishing our ethic: that clean water practices are every Minnesotan’s responsibility. That anything less is unacceptable. And that it’s achievable if all of us do our part.” Facilitators in each focus group took notes about the discussions, which were collected to be condensed and presented to Gov. Dayton by an advisory committee. Each group was asked to identify clean water practices that are already working, as well as barriers to creating a more sustainable model. Groups collected suggestions about what the Dayton administration should focus on in regard to clean water in Minnesota. One of many issues identified was in creating a better system of education about water quality. The St. Croix Valley Foundation has recently SEE WATER SUMMIT , PAGE 12
Skiers of all ages were welcome to participate in the Snowflake FundRacer competition to help a former Roseville skier afford a bone marrow transplant.
Skiers pitch in for bone marrow transplant BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER
BURNSVILLE — Around 80 skiers turned out at Buck Hill in Burnsville on Saturday, Feb. 27 for a “SnowflakeFundRacer” to raise money for a bone marrow transplant for a fellow skier. Among the skiers was Jack Callahan, a ninth-grader, who races on the Forest Lake Area Ski Team. Jack's mother Jeanie Callahan, who took him to the race, brought the fundraiser to the attention to the Forest Lake skiers since she first heard about the medical situation of one of her coworker's daughters, Hannah Kiresuk. Hannah, 20, raced for the Roseville downhill team and the Buck Hill USSA throughout high school. When she was 16, Hannah was diagnosed with a rare condition called myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis causes a weakening of skeletal muscles. Because the disease is so rare, most of the treatments are experimental, said Hannah's mother, Teri Kiresuk. As a result, insurance will not cover a bone marrow transplant, and the
family is determined to raise $500,000 to pay for the procedure, enlisting the help of friends, family and a supportive network of ski teams and organizations throughout the state. “We sent out the fundraiser flyer to all high school coaches in [the] conference, all the coaches know each other,” Teri said. “We also sent out emails to all of our ski team family at Buck Hill, so they spread the word as well.” Jeanie, as a Forest Lake ski parent and a coworker of Hannah's father, is among that network. Although she and Jack were the only ones from Forest Lake to attend the fundraiser, other members and parents of the Forest Lake team have donated to the online campaign. The Children's Organ Transplant Association, which also helped to sponsor the race, runs the online fundraiser for the procedure Hannah needs. Currently, Hannah undergoes three plasmapheresis procedures (which extract blood and replace plasma cells) per week, as well as monthly chemotherapy treatments. This is not a cure, Teri said. These
“0% ng ci Finanable” Avail
procedures treat some of Hannah's symptoms, but they they leave Hannah periodically exhausted. An expensive bone marrow transplant is required to be able to take the next step, which could push the disorder into remission. Hannah's sister Elizabeth, 15, also races on the Roseville team and is a USSA skier at Buck Hill. Roseville was among the many teams that participated in the fundraiser race. The race raised around $4,000 to put toward Hannah's fund. “Hannah was a very competitive skier before struck with this illness,” Jeanie said. “She raced against the Forest Lake ski team, and then her sister is currently on the Roseville team racing against us. They both are very talented skiers, so people on our team are very familiar with the name. It gets their attention, everyone knows who they are. Everyone had a connection to them, and it might touch that nerve in them that this could happen to one of our skiers.” SEE TRANSPLANT FUNDRAISER, PAGE 12
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